Wasn’t it just last year (maybe 2) that Firefox was an award winning product? And…
- 2004 Forbes best browser.
- 2005 PC World Product of the year.
- 2007 PC World declared Firefox the browser winner.
- 2008 CNET Battle of the Browsers declared The Fox the winner- Yeah, that was then!
One thing is for sure, the world of technology is always in flux, with opinions as abundant as versions and updates- latest reviews gives IE 8 an A- and Firefox a C! When it comes to browsers, the versions change so quickly who can decide which is the BEST?
So I’m plowing over the reviews thinking: what makes a browser popular? Why do people choose a certain one over another?? So, rather than comparing browsers, which has been done over and over, I thought more about the people who use them. What type of people are attracted to each browser and why? Of course, this is somewhat tongue and cheek but it may hit home!
Internet Explorer the big boy.. been around the block and still the leader in popularity. He’s like the guy in high school who grew up on the right side of the tracks- rich parents, good grades homecoming king… You get the idea. Although there were those incidents regarding his parents that were brushed under the rug.. but that’s another story. Internet Explorer users like the status quo, they work hard, and don’t have time to mess around with new fangled things. They don’t make big changes in their lives- they’ve eaten at the same restaurant for years. Sure it’s not that good, but it’s not that bad either..
Conservative, steady, loyal…
Firefox Then again there were a few of those Explorer users who were disgruntled. Aren’t there always a disgruntled few? Firefox users wanted something different, made by someone who wasn’t from the right side of the tracks. They wanted to eat the granola made by the new anti-establishment family in town. Granted Firefox did offer a more stable browser that wasn’t always getting pummeled by tomatoes (read viruses)..But it was big business vs small-
Anti-establishment, organic, forward thinking.
Enter Chrome- Firefox’s kids grew up and wanted to see something different. Chrome is their baby. which supports all 3 platforms.and automatically keeps itself up to date. Speed, simplicity and searching.. it excels. It’s fast- some say the fastest of the browsers- Security is a little lax, but who needs security when you can go fast? Slick and catches the eye of those techie types. This browser is for those people looking for something new and not afraid to go outside of the box.
Creative, Daring, and Inventive
This usage share chart tells the story- Explorer still rules, with Firefox second… but that new kid.. Chrome.. he’s gaining ground quickly- Ah, be proud, older browsers, you taught him everything he knows!
